


Let's Pretend

by mini_rini



Category: Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore
Genre: Happy ending though, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, because saf and teddy deserve the world, saf is an insecure little baby that needs constant protection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 03:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5190086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mini_rini/pseuds/mini_rini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saf had known that what they had was too good to be true.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Pretend

**Author's Note:**

> Saw that there was a sad lack of Saf/Teddy and decided to remedy it.
> 
> There may be some timeline inaccuracies- I didn't have the book with me while I was writing this fic.

Saf had known that what they had was too good to be true. The quiet days, punctuated with Teddy’s easy laughs and witty comments, and the (surprisingly) tranquil nights when they weren’t out “reclaiming” the endless list of people’s belongings had lulled him into a sort of trance. A trance which made him believe that they could be something resembling forever.

 

He had broken out of it the night they met Sparks for the first time. When Teddy had smiled so readily at her and told her about his “book-of-books,” something that he had hesitated to tell even Saf about, Saf had felt an unfamiliar tightening in his stomach. They’d fought for real that night, hurling words intended to hurt its recipient as much as it hurt its sayer. Saf slept on the cold floor of their room, still smarting from their spat. Come morning, Teddy turned away the moment Saf opened his mouth, and that was when Saf felt the cold edge of dread curling in his belly. Had Teddy finally decided he could do without Saf?

 

\--------------

 

When they’d met Sparks that night, Teddy had seen something in Saf snap, prompting the taller boy to grab his collar and hoist him up against the table. He could feel Sparks’ frightened gaze, darting between Saf’s hand on his collar and his clenched fist hovering just above the table. He knew Saf could have killed him in that second, his breath coming fast and angry for a reason Teddy didn’t know.

 

Teddy is the one who sleeps on the floor that night, making sure that Saf is asleep before allowing his tears to run freely.

 

\---------------

 

Saf’s heart jumps into his throat when he sees the knife flash, quick in quick out of Teddy’s (soft, almost impossibly so) abdomen. He dashes forward, supporting Teddy’s abruptly limp body, and a small, twisted part of him revels in once again holding Teddy close.

 

Once Teddy was hauled back in, the extent of his injury becomes painfully clear. Saf’s stomach twists with fear as he orders Sparks to fetch their healer, and when she’s gone, he sinks down to the ground. His sister shakes his arm, questions overflowing, but he can’t bring himself to speak, afraid that his voice will betray how affected he is.

 

After the healer leaves, Saf lies on his side, watching Teddy’s chest rise and fall.

 

He’s still awake when Teddy stirs the next morning, the numbing effect of the drugs having worn off. He jumps when he feels Teddy’s hand brush against his own, and as Teddy’s fingers move to entwine with his, starts to babble. “Are you in pain? D-Do you need Tilda? I’ll go fetch her at once!” Before he can move, Teddy snatches his wrist and holds on doggedly, grip as unyielding as Saf remembers. His mouth has curved up into a small smile, but his eyes are sad. “‘M sorry,” he mumbles, “for making you worry. Shouldn’t ‘ve done that.”

 

Saf feels his face relax and broaden into a wide grin despite Teddy’s obviously-still-upset face. He tamps down on the urge to pin Teddy to the bed and squash him until he passed out, and opts to retake Teddy’s hand, twining their fingers together. He maneuvers them to lie side-by-side, and this is how Tilda and Bren find them in mid-afternoon, when, confused by the silence, they poke their heads in.

 

\-----------

 

When Teddy has recovered sufficiently from his wound to start pottering about the shop, Saf presses him against the back wall and kisses him.

 

Teddy laughs against his lips. “Missed me?”

 

With those two words, the dam inside Saf breaks and the fear, sadness and anger of the past few weeks tumbles out.

 

“You have no idea how much I worried about you - I thought you were going to die, how dare yo-”

 

Teddy presses his lips to Saf, effectively muffling the rest of his rant. He kisses Saf slowly, coaxing his mouth open and twining their tongues together. When he pulls away, Saf is flushed and panting slightly.

 

“Why would I want to leave this world when you’re still here? Saf, you know I’d never abandon you; I’ve told you that a thousand times! When will you start believing me?”

 

Saf snorts, twisting his face away. “It sure didn’t seem like it when you and Sparks were together. Seemed like you’d follow her to the ends of the world without a second thought.”

 

“But the one I love is you, not her, Saf!” When Saf keeps his eyes fixed somewhere in the vicinity of Teddy’s chin, Teddy huffs. “Why can’t you, for once, understand that I’m not interested in her? Saf, I’m _gay_. I like _boys_ , not girls. And you're the only person I would ever consider being with, so you can stop that pouting right this instant and get over your stupid mindset about you not being good enough, because you _are_ , and you make me _so_ , so happy.”

 

Teddy cackles when Saf’s face, previously contorted at the mention of Sparks, smooths out into a self-satisfied smile. Saf sniffs at his gleeful look and proceeds to pick Teddy up (carefully, of course - Teddy’s still recovering) and shuffles (being injured didn’t make him any lighter) into their shared bedroom. He dumps Teddy unceremoniously on the bed and then squawks indignantly as Teddy tugs him down onto the mattress and wraps his arms and legs around him, nuzzling into his neck.

 

Saf huffs out a little moan, because of course Teddy would exploit his weak spot when he has to take Teddy’s injury into account and not do some unspeakable things to him like he so desperately wants to do. In order to deflect Teddy’s attention, he digs his fingers into Teddy’s sides, making the boy jerk in surprise. The corner of Saf’s mouth curls up, because of course Teddy would be ticklish; how did he not know this before? Teddy predictably fights back, attacking Saf’s ribs, and the quiet room rapidly descends into chaos.

 

When they’ve both been tickled out of their wits, they lie side by side, both on their backs and panting heavily. Teddy’s eyes are closed, but Saf is frowning heavily at the ceiling, brows drawn together in an intimidating glare.

 

When Teddy notices, he nudges Saf and asks, “Penny for your thoughts?” Saf shrieks and falls off the bed. After Teddy has stopped laughing and the room is silent again, Saf mutters, “I think I love you.”

 

Teddy snorts. “You think? Well I, for one, know that I’m in love with you, shithead.”

  
Saf kicks him, but his chest is full and he can’t stop a wolfish smile from spreading across his face. Teddy pinches him and tells him he looks terrifying, so please can he stop?

**Author's Note:**

> if you ever need a person to cry to with feels or otherwise, hmu on tumblr @ sxme-bxdy


End file.
